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The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, April 8, 2001-15 Ecker blasts Liberals for anti-U.S. sentiment tes i i t . iiïiiîc carà pat buines îs sil \LLiC ai a pp, th nost darn grng ot ail releasedi a neport saymng that wMse the bud- es carpars usiessfm Brampton rather than cniticism, Oakvîlle Tory MIPP and House get's release outside Queen's Park wasn't P" recent Comments before elected politicians raised the ire of Speaker Gary Carr expresseti outrage at illegal, it was«unconstitutional. caieu i could be financially many. Opposition members called it a TV the budget's release. Jason Misner can be reached at imis- 87231 detrimental to country infomrerical. He hired a constitutional lawyer wbo ner@miltoncanadianchampion.com. By JASON MISNER The Champion Finance Minister Janet Ecker said anti-U.S. sentiment from Parliament Hill has American busmnesses wondering if Canada is their ally and causing themn to question investing in this country. She said she recently met witb York busi- ness people wbo told ber tbey're flot sure where C a na da stands. "It's notî rigbs that someone onA their border wbo is flnot Jae kr their friend JaeEkr or ally anymore," she told a crowd of sup- porters at a Tory MPP Ted Cbudleigh fundraiser in Milton Thursday nigbt. "It's gos notbing to do witb an individual who supports or doesn't support a war, but you cannot keep doing what the Liberal caucus is doing, you cannot keep kicking our cief trading partner ini the teetb and flot expect that to start to harm that impor- tant trading relationsbip we have." An applause roared from the crowd. Some of the US. anti-sentiment mecludes Mississauga Centre MP Carolyn Parrish who referred to Americans as "bastards" a few weeks ago.% Comments don't represent ail Canadians' views, says Ecker Ms Ecker told the crowd tbe business communrty should do its part and reassure 7 American investors that Ontario, and Canada for tbat matter, isstiila ffendly W place to do business. I an interview, Ms Ecker - noting $1 million in trade occurs between tbe two nations every minute - said the possibility of a Iack of American investmnent in Ontario is real. "Mhe concemn tbat's been expressed is it's going to cause tbemn, maybe, to flot want to do as mucb investment witb us or as mucb business bere, tbat wben tbey bave to make a choice of locating a new plant in Milton as opposed to Obio, for example, that tbey're going to go to Ohio and flot to Milton." Alto, Ms Ecker said recent comments from Amnerican amnbassador Paul Cellucci that the U.S is "disappointed" witb Canada's stance on the Iraq war prompted Premier Ensie Eves to write a leter expressing Ontario's unflincbing support. Meanwbile, Ms Ecker said tsiÙs year's ' budget - mired in controversy for being released outside tbe Legisîsture Marcb 27 - said pointedly that it will be before MPPs to debate wben the House resumes sitting April 30.UA LN E I an interview, she said: (The budget) will be presented and debated in tbe house, - R LI C N as it always bas, and voted on, as it always bas, and tbe only difference witb this budg- et was thse venue we presented it in."